Chang says the foam is a known to cause cancer, can be ingested by animals, and is bad for the environment.

He says there is a better option.

“This is a styrofoam container, it will not breakdown in our lifetime. This is a compostable container that will be able to breakdown in 18 months in a commercial compost facility and many retailers already use this,” Honolulu Council Member Stanley Chang said.

The proposal, if adopted, would ban styrofoam food containers on Oahu on Jan. 1, 2016.